South Dakota · Verified November 2026
Sterile Processing Technician Programs for South Dakota Residents
Where Can South Dakota Residents Get Sterile Processing Technician Training?
South Dakota residents train through an online or hybrid program or at a campus in a nearby state. 3 fully online programs are listed below, and the closest campuses are in Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska. Medical equipment preparers in South Dakota earn a median of $42,330 a year (BLS, May 2025).
Online and Hybrid Options for South Dakota Residents
Online coursework still leads to hands-on hours in a real department: the CRCST requires 400 of them. Check where each program places you for clinicals before you apply.
| Program | Format | Length | Clinical | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kishwaukee College course: online program pageMalta, IL | Online | 16 weeks | $1,300published total, 2026-27 | |
| Herzing University-Madison diploma: online program pageMadison, WI | Online | 43 weeks | Included | $530per credit, 2026-27 |
| Lehman College course: online program pageBronx, NY | Online | 80 hours | Included |
Closest Sterile Processing Schools to South Dakota
- Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny, Iowa · non-credit course
- Iowa Western Community CollegeCouncil Bluffs, Iowa · non-credit course
- Northeast Iowa Community CollegeCalmar, Iowa · non-credit course
- Anoka Technical CollegeAnoka, Minnesota · certificate
- Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeMinneapolis, Minnesota · certificate
- Saint Paul CollegeSaint Paul, Minnesota · certificate
- Nebraska Methodist CollegeOmaha, Nebraska · non-credit course
- North Dakota State College of ScienceWahpeton, North Dakota · certificate
Sterile Processing Technician Certification in South Dakota
No South Dakota law in force requires sterile processing certification, so the requirement comes from employers. Many hospitals hire for, or ask new technicians to earn, HSPA's CRCST (the central service technician credential) or CBSPD's CSPDT. Full CRCST certification needs 400 hands-on hours in a sterile processing department; you can test first and hold provisional status while you log them.
How the CRCST and its 400 hours work · States that require certification by law
Sterile Processing Technician Salary in South Dakota
- bottom tenth
- $31,680
- median
- $42,330
- top tenth
- $54,680
- employed
- 480
South Dakota's median of $42,330 is below the national median of $47,700. Figures are annual wages for medical equipment preparers (SOC 31-9093), the BLS occupation for sterile processing technicians, OEWS May 2025.
Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in South Dakota
How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in South Dakota?
The median for medical equipment preparers in South Dakota is $42,330 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $31,680 and the top tenth $54,680, across 480 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can South Dakota Residents Train Online?
Partly. 3 programs put all coursework online, and many programs are hybrid, but the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours happen in a real sterile processing department. Online program rankings.
More Sterile Processing Rankings
- Best Programs NationwideEvery verified program, scored on hands-on hours, certification prep, cost and track record
- Online and Hybrid RankingsOnline and hybrid programs, and how each one gets you hands-on hours
- Most Affordable RankingsPrograms ranked by the whole-program price each school publishes
- With Externships RankingsPrograms with clinical hours in a hospital sterile processing department
- CRCST CertificationThe 400-hour requirement and the exam
- Certification Requirements by StateWhich states require it by law
- Best Programs in Iowa3 schools
- Best Programs in Minnesota3 schools
- Best Programs in Nebraska1 school
- Best Programs in North Dakota1 school
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the schools listed, reviewed November 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Medical Equipment Preparers, state estimates